A “real” user proves Windows 8 fails on the desktop

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With the release of Windows 8, Microsoft is attempting to change the way we interact with its operating system by introducing the Metro interface. The problem is, they aren’t just stopping at pasting a touch-friendly experience over the top of the more familiar Windows desktop. Microsoft has also broken the classic desktop experience in the process.

The main issue? By default the Start button has disappeared. Anyone using the Windows 8 Consumer Preview (check out our 5 days with Windows 8 feature) is either figuring out how to work around that, or Googling to find out how to re-enable it.

The thing Microsoft seem to be overlooking is the fact they already dominate in the OS market. That’s a great position to be in, but also comes with a few must-haves whenever a new version of said OS is launched. Top of that list is familiarity.

Microsoft has introduced Metro because of the growing popularity of devices with a touch interface. However, that doesn’t mean millions of users will stop using PCs and laptops that don’t feature touch interaction. And yet, the classic desktop has lost the one feature everyone knows is the interaction start point: the Start button.

The video above proves this. The person sitting at the computer is Chris Pirillo’s dad. Pirillo is well known for being the founder of Lockergnome. He decided to film his dad using Windows 8 for the first time to demonstrate to Microsoft the issue, and it clearly shows an existing Windows user struggling to do anything. He isn’t a power user, but neither are the majority of Windows 7/Vista/XP users.

The message this video clearly sends is that Microsoft is at risk of alienating their existing user base due to a lack of familiarity. The good news is, they can easily solve the problem by reintroducing the Start button and adding a few more hints about how to switch between classic and Metro views. But will they?